The C-Word – AKA “Consultant”

I met with a prospective client a number of times over the past few weeks. When we first met, he expressed his concern over the “c-word,” AKA “consultant,” in my company’s name.

He explained that they had used consultants in the past with dismal results and was afraid of making the same mistake again.

I explained, naturally, that he had worked with wrong consultants, and assured him of a remarkably different experience. 🙂

Of course, that’s easy for me to say, and to be expected. So I invited him to call some of my current clients, and he did.

I gave him the names of half a dozen current clients across a variety of industries and company sizes from small to large. Needless to say, those phone calls assured him he that was making an incredibly wise investment.

But in the big scheme of things, this was the small decision to be made because there was a much bigger issue at hand. It’s any issue that many owners, executives, and CEOs of small to medium-sized privately held companies I talk to are dealing with right now.

I bet you can relate.

The business was doing okay, but everyone inside the company seemed content with the status quo. Why rock the boat? What goes us here, should get us there. Mediocrity felt safe and maintaining the current trajectory was one everyone had gotten comfortable with. Deep down, though, he knew the safety of this path was an illusion.

He was aware that his industry was constantly changing, the competition was always gaining, and he was trying to maintain a lead that was continually shrinking. Sound familiar?

He already knew the answer. Now was the time. The time to take a drastic left turn and seek out a new path.

Don’t get me wrong. His concerns about the c-word were fair.

But it was the wrong c-word.

The more important C-word here was “certainty.”

The certainty that the times are a changin’ and will continue the change.

The certainty that the status-quo isn’t going to cut it anymore.

The certainty that now is the time to make a move, even if it means moving into the unknown (thankfully, there are people who can help!)